noun (plural bullies)

If we can all come together to make our parks safe, and we can all support zero tolerance in schools so that our children can enjoy a good education free from fear, intimidation and bullies, then we can surely do the same for our roads.

Many coaches are professional bullies and intimidators.

They have to worry about a lot more than bullies and bad influences outside the home.

Origin

Mid 16th century: probably from Middle Dutchboele 'lover'. The original usage was as a term of endearment applied to either sex; later becoming a familiar form of address to a male friend. The current sense dates from the late 17th century.

People originally liked bullies. When it came into the English language in the 16th century, probably from an old Dutch word boele ‘lover’, bully was a term of endearment, much like ‘sweetheart’ or ‘darling’. At the end of the 17th century it was being used to mean ‘admirable or jolly’, and finally the more general sense of ‘first-rate’ developed. Today this survives only in the expression bully for you!, ‘well done! good for you!’ The usual modern sense dates from the late 17th century, probably from its use as an informal way of addressing a male friend, or referring to a ‘lad’ or ‘one of the boys’. The bully of bully beef is a mid 18th-century alteration of French bouilli ‘boiled’.

Origin

People originally liked bullies. When it came into the English language in the 16th century, probably from an old Dutch word boele ‘lover’, bully was a term of endearment, much like ‘sweetheart’ or ‘darling’. At the end of the 17th century it was being used to mean ‘admirable or jolly’, and finally the more general sense of ‘first-rate’ developed. Today this survives only in the expression bully for you!, ‘well done! good for you!’ The usual modern sense dates from the late 17th century, probably from its use as an informal way of addressing a male friend, or referring to a ‘lad’ or ‘one of the boys’. The bully of bully beef is a mid 18th-century alteration of French bouilli ‘boiled’.

Origin

People originally liked bullies. When it came into the English language in the 16th century, probably from an old Dutch word boele ‘lover’, bully was a term of endearment, much like ‘sweetheart’ or ‘darling’. At the end of the 17th century it was being used to mean ‘admirable or jolly’, and finally the more general sense of ‘first-rate’ developed. Today this survives only in the expression bully for you!, ‘well done! good for you!’ The usual modern sense dates from the late 17th century, probably from its use as an informal way of addressing a male friend, or referring to a ‘lad’ or ‘one of the boys’. The bully of bully beef is a mid 18th-century alteration of French bouilli ‘boiled’.

Origin

People originally liked bullies. When it came into the English language in the 16th century, probably from an old Dutch word boele ‘lover’, bully was a term of endearment, much like ‘sweetheart’ or ‘darling’. At the end of the 17th century it was being used to mean ‘admirable or jolly’, and finally the more general sense of ‘first-rate’ developed. Today this survives only in the expression bully for you!, ‘well done! good for you!’ The usual modern sense dates from the late 17th century, probably from its use as an informal way of addressing a male friend, or referring to a ‘lad’ or ‘one of the boys’. The bully of bully beef is a mid 18th-century alteration of French bouilli ‘boiled’.